Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fellsmere, Florida 32948
Wednesday, May 21, 1986 2:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD ABOUT 350 LBS OF FUEL ONBOARD WHEN HE TOOK OFF ON HIS 4TH NIGHT CROP DUSTING MISSION. HE INDICATED THAT EACH MISSION IS 6 TO 8 MINS IN DURATION AND THAT THE AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION IS ABOUT 570 LBS PER HR. HE STATED THAT THE 20 MIN LOW FUEL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT HAD BEEN ON FOR 3 TO 5 MINS WHEN THE ENG FAILED. THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING THE NIGHT FORCED LANDING ROLL. THE PLT STATED HE DID NOT THINK HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL BUT HE WAS NOT SURE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT HAD PERFORMED NORMAL PRIOR TO THE ENG FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 255
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FELLSMERE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32948
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 321 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1071
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 21 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 320
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31413
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3879G
NTSB Number MIA86LA165
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model UH-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-1B
Aircraft Serial Number 62-2053
Certified Max Gross Weight 8500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 4 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 4990
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COLONY SERVICES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1589
Aircraft Owner City LABELLE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33935
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 245
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --